It could not have been scripted, it all played down to the perfect tune, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) came back into the league with a flourish, aplomb, and a lot of panache. A proper red carpet welcome now awaits them as they look to start their home campaign against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
It will homecoming for KKR captain Dinesh Karthik too, but he will be more keen in spoiling the party of his home state and after having brushed aside the Royal Challengers Bangalore with ease they must be brimming with confidence.
We take a look at the player battles which might well define the course of the match and could well dictate the end result.
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Deepak Chahar vs Chris Lynn
The young swing bowler got the ball to hoop around in Mumbai and if conditions are conducive, he might well pose a big threat to the normally flamboyant Chris Lynn at the top of the order.
Lynn looked scratchy in the first match and his technique will be tested by Chahar with his outswingers in Chennai. How the Australian copes up with the moving ball will determine how far he goes in his innings and it will also result in KKR’s start which will drop a marker for the rest of the innings.
Dwayne Bravo vs Sunil Narine
The battle of the West Indians, the battle between two match-winners, the battle between two all-rounders, this particular contest will go a long way in determining the winner of the match.
While Sunil Narine has been a revelation as the opener, he will be tested by Dwayne Bravo’s skills with the ball.
Dhoni might throw the ball to Bravo to get rid of his fellow countryman right at the outset.
On the flip side, Bravo’s heroics with the bat against the Mumbai Indians will remain fresh in everyone’s minds for a long time, but he might well be tested by the variations of Sunil Narine.
Piyush Chawla vs Shane Watson
The leg-spinner has been a trusted performer for the Kolkata Knight Riders over the past seasons and he gave a great display of his worth in the first match.
He might trouble Shane Watson with his variations and guile and if Watson manages to take him to the cleaners, it would go a long way in getting CSK closer to the finishing line.
However, the Australian has to be careful of Chawla’s googlies and top spinners as he is susceptible to falling leg before wicket.
Mitchell Johnson vs Suresh Raina
For all his dominance in T20 cricket, Suresh Raina continues to struggle against genuine pace and bouncers and this is where Mitchell Johnson steps in and Dinesh Karthik would want his fast bowler to run in hurl in missiles towards Raina who is perhaps the best batsman in the team.
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However, the southpaw has always found a way to tackle challenges in the IPL and how he responds to Johnson will go a long way in determining CSK’s batting performance.
Kuldeep Yadav vs MS Dhoni
The young chinaman bowler has grown leaps and bounds and is now a master of his craft. He has the ability to turn the ball both ways and this where Dhoni has struggled in the recent past.
Considering Dhoni’s dismissal in the first match where he failed to pick the googly of Mayank Markande, Kuldeep would be licking his lips.
Dhoni, however, will be aware of this and his tactics against this young spinner will be very intriguing to watch.
